by Kevin McLaughlin
The Cleveland Orchestra’s Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Opera & Humanities Festival opened on May 16 with The Moth Mainstage: Live from Severance, an evening of true, personal storytelling centered on the theme of reconciliation.
Presented in partnership with Ideastream Public Media, the show marked The Moth’s first live appearance in Cleveland. Founded in 1997 in New York City, The Moth is a nonprofit celebrating “the art of true, personal storytelling.” It produces hundreds of live events annually across the U.S. and abroad, including the widely popular podcast The Moth Radio Hour.
Hosted by writer and performer Jon Goode, who told engaging stories of his own, the program featured five storytellers and musical interludes by Cleveland Orchestra assistant principal clarinet Daniel McKelway, who performed two songs made famous by bandleader Benny Goodman: “Why Don’t You Do Right?” and “Don’t Be That Way.”
Amena Brown opened with a light and heartfelt reflection on her relationship with her grandmother, framed by the discovery that a cherished family cake recipe was, in fact, a Betty Crocker mix. Years later, Brown found a way to honor her grandmother by recreating the cake — box mix and all — but adding, as her grandmother would have done, her own homemade frosting.
Cleveland bankruptcy lawyer Reginald Williams followed with a story of mentorship, misunderstanding, and eventual gratitude. After years working under a garrulous but volatile boss who later fired him over a misunderstanding, Williams found himself defending the same man in court. That moment, he said, brought a measure of forgiveness and clarity to their complex relationship.
Vietnam veteran George Sumner delivered a moving account of his evolving feelings about the Southeast Asian conflict. Initially antagonistic toward antiwar protesters, Summer found a sense of belonging through fellow veterans and eventually made peace with his experience. A moment of closure came years later when he found his old uniform shirt on display at the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C.
After intermission, Karyn Elkanich recounted a harrowing home invasion when she was held at gunpoint by a man searching for drugs or money. Years later, upon seeing the man again in court, she wrestled with the urge for revenge — but ultimately chose to let go of the feelings of vulnerability and anger she had carried.
Closing the evening, Phuc Tran shared a deeply personal story of growing up under the shadow of an abusive father. Only after becoming a father himself did Tran begin to see signs of change in the man he had once feared. This finally culminated in a quiet, unexpected moment of wisdom shared between granddaughter and grandfather.
The evening offered a poignant and varied meditation on what it means to be reconciled — with others, with the past, and with oneself.
Published on ClevelandClassical.com May 21, 2025.
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